Friday, May 29, 2015

Feed the Addiction, But Hopefully Spend Less Doing So:

This is just going to be a quick list of places I've found on the internet that can help you get a good deal on various beauty related items. Some of them are good for finding deals on non-beauty items as well.

Ebates: Warning: This is an affiliate link, because why not? If you're not comfortable with that, no prob, click HERE instead! Ebates is Free and easy to use! When you sign up, you get a $10 gift card of choice (usually, this may not always be the case), and you get a certain percent back on almost anything you order online if you go to their site first. The percentage of money back changes but averages around 4% cash back or less. There are times (such as their recent anniversary sale; it was 16% back) when the percent is higher. It's not always a lot of money that you are saving, but it does add up. You get money back on a quarterly basis, either by check in the mail or through paypal. You have to make sure that you set up everything for your 'Big Check' or you won't receive the money back, this was honestly the trickiest part about signing up, because you're not immediately directed how to do it. There are a ton of websites through Ebates, but not everything is there. For example, Amazon might be on ebates at times, but it may only have certain departments where you can get money back. Still, this is a really great resource for saving some money if you shop online, especially for beauty products because sites like Sephora, Ulta, and Beauty.com are all on there. Totally worth signing up for, just remember to go to this site BEFORE shopping, and going to your chosen page through their link. There are also bonus coupon codes similar to retailmenot provided right on the page, so you can get even more out of your shopping!

There is also the site Mr. Rebates but I have not used this site and do not know how it compares. If you have used it and prefer it to Ebates, or vice versa, let me know why!

Hautelook (affiliated with Nordstrom Rack): You have to sign up to use this site, and honestly it is not the BEST. This is mainly due to my grudge against paying for shipping. They give free shipping if you spend over $100. That is ridiculous by today's standards. I can understand free shipping after $25. But $100 is just craziness. So anyway keep that in mind with anything you buy from here. This site IS good for something though. They occasionally have really great sales on great brands, and sometimes on limited edition things that you can't find anymore. Shipping takes kind of forever, so that is another not so great thing about this. If you keep that stuff in mind and work out if what you want is worth it price wise, it can definitely still be a great way to get super deals on high end makeup. The really nice brands do tend to sell out quickly though so you have to keep an eye on it.

Target Sample Page: I forget how I came across this, but it is pretty great! They don't have samples all the time and they can sell out as well. Basically you just sign up and choose to receive whatever sample they are promoting, take a short survey, and they will send it to you if you qualify. It is Free! I recently signed up to receive a sample of Frizz Eaze serum, and am still waiting on that. I don't know how often they do this, or exactly what happens after you receive it, so I will update on that once I get further in.

RetailMeNot: You probably already know about this, but I'm including it anyway! Before you check out from any website, do a quick search on here to see if there is some kind of discount code that will work for you! Simple!

Nouveau Cheap: This is a Beauty Blog I found and check regularly because the author posts lots of deals for both online and IRL shopping. There is usually some kind of weekly roundup for all the drugstore deals broken down by store, and there are random updates when she hears about a sale online somewhere.

Cheapasfuck: This blog seems a little more geared toward beauty reviews, but there is an occasional post about a great sale or something that Nouveau Cheap hasn't posted about, so I like to check this one too.

Budgetbeautyblog: Same as above, beauty blog with reviews, but with an occasional highlight on a special sale of some kind.

Temptalia: Also a beauty blog, with a VERY comprehensive review list, and also a great place to find dupes for higher end stuff. It is on this list because it also has beauty deal roundups, for both online and IRL stores.

Additionally: Sign up for rewards programs at any sites you frequent! It may seem like a hassle at first but it is definitely worth it. Make your money work for you, don't miss out on points. Sephora has the Beauty Insider program, Ulta has... Ultamate Rewards? I think it is called? Beauty.com is also partnered with Drugstore.com, and you get 5% back in points toward future purchases from both sites.

Well that is all I have for now, I may update this list more as I discover new things. I'm sure there are a lot of other great beauty blogs out there, feel free to share them or any other tips for deals that you might have!